Time Schedule:
Linda L Nash
HSTAA 371
Seattle Campus
Surveys the rise of consumer society in the late-nineteenth-and twentieth-century United States including theories of consumption, the experience of consumer culture by different social groups, the role of the state in fostering consumption, the material impacts of consumer society in the U.S. and beyond, and critiques of consumerism.
Class description
What is “consumer society,” and how did it develop in the United States? How have scholars explained the rise of consumerism and which explanations are most convincing? How has the experience of consumer society varied along lines of race, class, and gender? What has been the role of the American state in fostering and restraining consumption in different historical moments? How has the rise of American consumer society shaped landscapes both within and beyond the United States? What are the implications of a globalized consumer culture for environments, working people, and democracy both within and outside of the U.S.?
This course will survey the rise of consumer society in the late nineteenth- and twentieth-century United States through readings, films, and lectures. Among the topics we will address are theories of consumption, the ways in which different social groups have experienced consumer culture in the U.S., the role of the state in fostering consumption, the material impacts of consumer society in the U.S. and beyond, and past and contemporary critiques of consumerism. In addition, students will gain experience (1) writing short, analytical essays of secondary sources (i.e., historical monographs); (2) analyzing primary historical sources; and (3) conducting their own historical research on a relevant topic.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Lectures, films, readings .
Recommended preparation
Ability to read critically and strong writing skills.
Class assignments and grading
Short essays on readings; essay exams; research project.
